Introducing the Risks 
With every click, you leave a digital trail

It Lives!
Did you know that the email you send can come back from the land of deleted files to haunt you? Copies of your email are saved on random computer servers as they make their way to their recipients. Even though you may have deleted them from your mailbox, strangers can retrieve and read your email from these random servers. Email doesn't have an expiration date-those who know where to look will be able to locate your "private" electronic correspondence for years to come. Not even the most computer savvy are safe from this hazard. Prosecutors used email evidence in their convincing antitrust case against Bill Gates and Microsoft..

They See You Coming
When you enter the World Wide Web your own browser brazenly announces your computer's unique identifiers to every site you visit. And many of the banner ads you see-even the ones you don't click on!-have built-in tracking systems that follow you. Some compile a profile of your surfing habits. What's more, if you surf the Web at work, your employer may be logging every click you make, every site you visit, every email you send...every picture you download.

Consumers Beware
Shopping brings its own set of risks. Hackers are capable of filching your credit card numbers when you purchase products online, as well as any personal information you key in, such as your name, phone number, email, even your street address-not to mention such vitals as your gender, age and income level. Basically all of the information a criminal needs to impersonate you, run up your credit card bills and ruin your credit rating is available online.

The Youngest Victims
Perhaps most frightening of all is the risk that the Internet poses for those you care about most - your children. The Internet is the playground of the new millennium, chock full of games, learning opportunities and potential new friends. The problem arises when those new friends aren't who they say they are. Experts estimate that a child can be approached by an online predator in a chatroom in less than one minute. You could be sitting just a few feet away and not know that your child is at that moment opening your home to a cyberstalker.

Everybody's Doing It
A 1999 study by Media Metrix found that 92.8 percent of Web sites gather at least one type of identifying information about users, such as name, email or postal address, while 56.8 percent collect demographic information. Do you trust them to keep it all confidential? What if they collect information from your children? What if they track your research into medical conditions and use it to decide whether to insure you-or hire you?

Take Action!
Yes, there are risks, but the good news is, you can protect your personal information-if you are aware of the risks and take action to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. Visit PerfectlyPrivate.com often to learn about the latest hazards and the most effective tools that citizens can use to strike back against invasions to their privacy.

Keeping Passwords Secure  
Discover now what you can do to take control

Let's say someone wants access to your computer files. They try a series of passwords…maybe your spouse's name, your child's name, your dog's name…and your birth date. Then, they decide to open your desk drawer and look for that piece of paper with your passwords written right on it! Bingo! They're into your personal and private files. Our advice is:

• Never use your birthday as a password – it’s too obvious, and too easy to find out.
• Don’t let your love for your family members, or for your pet, Spot or Fluffy, lead you to use their names as your password either.  
• For maximum security, select passwords that are at least 8 characters in length. Avoid using all numbers or all alpha characters. A random combination of alphabetic and numeric (alphanumeric) characters is good, while a mix with alphanumeric and special characters is the hardest kind of password to crack.
• Don't write passwords down and store them near your computer.  
• One bad way to store your password is in your computer desk’s drawer. But don’t be fooled: storing passwords on your hard drive is no safer…unless you use an encryption utility to encrypt your passwords. Then, you only need to remember one password…and only you will know how to access all of them!   
• Use a password-protected screensaver to limit access to your computer by others. Windows-PCs come with a password-enabled screensaver built right in. To activate, click the start button; select Settings, Control Panel, Display and Screen Saver.
• Routinely monitor your cookie files to see if passwords are stored in them. See our section on cookies to learn how to access, read and delete them. Anyone who can access your computer and cookie files may be able to find passwords there.  
• When you're working with really sensitive information, such as personal finance data when banking online, change your password on a regular basis. Some sites will prompt you to do this, others will not. Do it anyway. Start changing it once a month or even once every other week.

Protect Your PC from Outside Intruders
Passwords, firewalls, and special software provide some peace of mind

You’ve probably read news stories about hacker attacks that paralyzed popular Web sites on the Internet. While corporate computer systems often have elaborate security precautions in place, the same security does not exist for employees who connect from home.

Computers utilizing broadband connections, such as cable modem or DSL (digital subscriber line), are especially vulnerable to outside intruders because these connections are always on. Hackers can  use high-speed "Internet scanners" to probe these connections and seek out Windows-based computers that specify sharing of files and printers. On a network, file and print sharing can allow a malicious user access to all of your computer files.

Also, certain software programs enable Web-borne intrusions, including ActiveX, Java and Javascript. While these products were developed for useful purposes, hackers can use them to open security holes in your browser, gaining remote access to your hard drive. As holes are found, the browser companies develop patches and post them on their Web sites.

We recommend the following steps:

• If you don’t have a personal computer firewall, turn off your computer when you aren’t using it. This is critical if you are linked to the Web via a persistent connection such as a cable modem, DSL (digital subscriber line), LAN (local area network), ISDN or ADSL. Leaving your computer linked constantly to the Web is the cyberspace equivalent of leaving the front door unlocked when you go to bed. You substantially minimize your exposure of outside attacks if your computer is online only when you are browsing the Web or using email.

• Deactivate file and printer sharing. A high security risk exists with Windows File and Printer Sharing when used over a TCP/IP (Internet) connection. If you do nothing else to protect your computer, do this: Deactivate any ability for other systems to share your print and/or file resources. This should be performed regardless of the activity or application you are utilizing. Follow the instructions provided by your specific operating system.

• Use passwords. Wherever possible, always protect your information with passwords that even your friends and family cannot guess. NEVER share your user ID or password with others. Your password is your personal key and should be kept confidential. 

• Install a personal computer firewall on your home computer. A personal firewall isolates your computer from the Internet by inspecting all data as it arrives at either side of the firewall - inbound or outbound from your computer.  

• To ward off intrusions via software-enabled browser holes, you should make sure you are using the latest version of your chosen browser software. Still keep in mind that shortly after the release of a new version of Netscape or Microsoft’s browser, new holes are frequently found. Stay informed and be vigilant of new risks that may threaten you. Visit PerfectlyPrivate.com for the latest scoop on all that affects your cyber privacy and security.  

• You should also make sure your PC’s virus scanning software is enabled, since viruses can enter through browser security holes or be carried by executable files, which often come as files attached to email. If you receive an email from an unknown source with a file attached that ends in .exe, the best advice is not to open it. Some viruses are merely nuisances, but others can damage your hard drive, erase files, or even grab your email address book and forward the virus to your entire list of names.